A New Kind of Forbidden
by permiable-cell-walls
Summary: -The sequel to More Reasons Than Not- Her mother is married to his father - why doesn't love have a sense of propriety?
1. Welcome Back

Welcome Back

**Welcome Back**

Rose sat down at the Gryffindor table, happy to be back at Hogwarts and thrilled to be sitting next to her two favorite cousins.

She watched nostalgically as the sorting hat named houses for the first-years, until finally Hugo's turn came around. He sat on the stool bravely, as if he had no question that he would be put in the Gryffindor house along with the rest of his family. But Rose was not as sure. She knew that the sorting hat had almost put her into Ravenclaw, and she thought it might try to do the same with her little brother, who was just as intelligent as she was definitely.

After less than thirty seconds, however, the sorting hat screamed out, "GRYFFINDOR!" with all of the bravery that Hugo had shown as he approached it. Rose's little brother smiled triumphantly and she clapped with the rest of her house as he came to sit with her and his cousins.

Since their last name was still Weasley, Hugo had been the last person in line for the hat. After he sat down at the table, a wondrous feast appeared for the enjoyment of the school. Hugo, showing his resemblance to his father, filled his plate to overflowing.

Rose chatted happily with Hugo, James, and Albus as she politely spooned potatoes, roast beef, mixed vegetables, and a bit of gravy onto her plate.

"I still can't believe your mum married Malfoy's dad," James said as he forked a few green beans into his mouth.

"Yeah," Albus agreed. "How did you live the summer in the same house as that prat?"

Hugo frowned, but his mouth was too full to speak. He had inherited his father's appetite, but his mother's manners. Rose saw his expression, however, and replied more meekly than she would have otherwise.

"I survived," she said optimistically. As she said it, however, images of dinners with him sitting across from her and making sneering faces filled her mind and she grimaced.

James caught sight of the reaction, and he commented sarcastically , "Yeah, I'm sure you had a great time."

Rose just laughed and shook her head. She didn't feel like talking about Malfoy at the moment.

He was basically all she ever thought about, and she needed a break already.

And by basically all she thought about, of course that is to say, he was on her mind a lot because he was so bothersome. She was worrying constantly whether he would try to hex her while their parents weren't looking.

And when he tried to play with Delilah, oh God help her, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Because she was afraid that he would drop her, of course. She had to keep an eye out for her sister, didn't she?

He was always rather gentle with her, though. Rose noticed him making her giggle countless times before she ever succeeded in it. She was even jealous about it at times, in fact.

But all of that was in the back of her mind now. Now, she was with her little brother, the newest Gryffindor house member, and her two incredible cousins. Why on earth should she be fretting over her idiotic step-brother?

After a good amount of time, all of the students began to put their silverware down and rub their bellies. The feast was always fantastic, but it definitely filled up those adolescent stomachs quickly. Luckily, a distraction came to divert their attention from their bowels.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" boomed the voice of Professor Clearwater, the school's current headmaster, from the front of the Great Hall. "To all first-years, welcome! And to all returning students, welcome back!"

All of the students clapped. Professor Clearwater was a popular headmaster, most likely because of his young age and his vivacious enthusiasm. After a while, the clapping died down and he resumed the rest of the speech. Rose leaned in and listening intently as he greeted them from their vacations and outlined the expectations for the upcoming year. Somehow, nothing the man said was boring. Of course, there was the occasional student who just did not want to listen to anything the authority figured had to say, but overall the hall was silent as the headmaster delivered his oration.

"I'm stuffed," Albus commented as the four walked out of the hall, following behind the new Gryffindor prefects.

One of them was their cousin, Alison, who was the fifth-year daughter of their Uncle George and Aunt Angelina. Rose always thought that she was very pretty, and was jealous of her dark skin that she had inherited from her mum. The male prefect was someone that Rose didn't know very well, but obviously Alison knew him because they spent the time walking up to the Gryffindor tower catching up from the summer vacations.

"I can't wait to go to sleep," Hugo said as he let out a yawn.

"You kidding me mate?" James said excitedly. "The night's not half over!"

Rose laughed. "Hugo's bedtime is usually eight o'clock. He's been half-asleep for the past hour now."

James clapped Hugo on the back, causing the rather small boy to stumble forward. James helped him up and apologized profusely, and the four continued on the path to their dorms, laughing and chatting as they went.

Scorpius rolled his eyes as the dumbest boy in school followed him to the Slytherin dungeons.

"Goyle, please shut up now," he said, definitely loud enough for the other boy to hear.

But unfortunately, he must not have, because he kept on about how the pastries had tasted, and licking his lips and drooling like a dog.

"Goyle!" Scorpius shouted as he turned around to face him. "I was there! I tasted them! I remember, it was only ten minutes ago! Please, shut your mouth!"

Goyle frowned, but obeyed this time.

For the rest of the walk, Scorpius tried to make the pounding in his head subside.

"Hey," said a voice from his left as he rubbed his temples.

He turned to see a tall, blonde girl smiling at him. He knew who she was, but he certainly didn't know why she would be speaking to him,

"Um, hello," Scorpius said rather awkwardly.

"You're Scorpius Malfoy, right?" she asked, giggling a little. He nodded, raising his eyebrows skeptically. He didn't like girls and their giggling idiocy. She handed him a note, then ducked between two boys out of sight.

Scorpius frowned. The note was small and written rather messily.

"_I think your cute_."

That was all it said. Scorpius laughed out loud. Who in the world would send this to him? He knew it wasn't the girl who gave it to him, because surely someone that… well, _developed_… would be able to know the difference between "you're" and "your" and when each one was grammatically correct.

"Must be a first-year," he said aloud.

"Who must be?" Goyle grunted.

Scorpius groaned. He definitely had not meant to start a conversation with that dolt.

"No one, go away," he said quickly, and sped up his walking so that the huge oaf could not keep up.

Later, after he'd settled into his dorm (in a bed right across from Goyle, to his dismay), he laid and contemplated the admirer's identity.

"Come on, Rose, don't you want to play Wizard's Chess with me? You can't be tired already," James whined.

Rose only gave a huge yawn in reply.

"Fine, off to sleep," James complained. "I guess you _are_ a second-year, after all. I forgot."

Rose frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, hurt by her cousin's words.

"Nothing," James huffed.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked knowingly. "You're not just angry about Wizard's Chess, I know that for sure."

James sighed. "Yeah, there's something," he said, plopping into one of the sofas and folding his arms.

Rose walked around the couch and joined him. "So?"

"Rose, have you ever liked someone?" he asked. Rose frowned again and opened her mouth. "I mean _really_ liked someone," James clarified emphatically.

Rose shook her head. "Not _really_, I mean, I did have a crush on Barty Krinksdale last term, but only for a little while before I saw him trying to levitate a smaller boy over the Black Lake. And then I wasn't interested any longer."

James nodded. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"Who is it?" Rose asked after a moment of silence.

"Ophelia Larson," James said immediately.

"_What_?" Rose gasped. "But James, she's a sixth-year!"

"I know," he replied woefully.

"And she's a _Slytherin_," Rose added with a slight hint of revulsion.

"_I know_," James said, letting his head fall into his hands.

Rose clicked her tongue. She wasn't sure exactly what to say.

"Do you think I could ever get her to fancy me?" he asked after a couple of pained minutes of silence.

"Hmmm," Rose tapped her lip. "I think so."

"_Really_?!" James practically flew into the air. He stood over Rose expectantly.

"I've seen you play Quidditch," she said persuasively. "You could make Gryffindor chaser this term, definitely."

James grinned widely. "Really? You think so?"

Rose nodded. "And everyone knows, Ophelia Larson loves Quidditch players. She's dated at least ten of them in the last year."

James chuckled, most likely from his excitement and not from Rose's comment.

"Will you do it?" she asked.

"Rose," James became serious suddenly. "Do it with me? Try out for the team? You could be seeker, you're almost as good as my dad."

Rose shook her head. "I don't think so…"

"But why?!" James demanded. "You'd make it! I know you would! Please, Rose, _please_!"

"Why do you want – "

"I just need the moral support," James pleaded. "Rose, _please_."

She sighed. "Yes, alright, alright, I'll do it."

James jumped and punched the air triumphantly. "This is going to be the best year ever!"

Rose laughed. "I hope so."

"You can go to bed now. I promise I won't call you a little second-year anymore," James said sheepishly.

"Thanks," Rose replied sarcastically as she made her way up to her familiar dormitories.


	2. Team Rivalries

Team Rivalries

**Team Rivalries**

The robes were in surprisingly good shape after so many years, and a whole season in use as well. Scorpius put them on in a slow, meticulous fashion, looking in the mirror the whole time.

Although people had always told him that he was an exact replica of his father, he had never really thought it was true. But he was beginning to believe them now.

These Quidditch robes, the ones his father had worn in his first season on the Slytherin Quidditch team in his second year, fit him so well that one would have thought they were tailored for him.

As he admired his reflection in the mirror, he saw something woosh past his window, a blur of red and gold. He frowned and went to his window sill to investigate, and realized that the Gryffindor team was in the middle of try-outs.

He scouted out the competition, grinning confidently as he saw the disastrous applicants. But then he noticed a pair that wasn't so bad.

_What is Weasley doing playing Quidditch?_ he asked himself, slightly indignant. _Quidditch is a man's game. But she is rather good. For a little wimpy girl, of course. And looks like James Potter has had some practice as well. Stupid Gryffindor, trying to steal the house cup from its rightful owners._

He pulled his robes tighter around his neck and stuck his nose in the air. He wasn't going to let his annoying new family member ruin this year for Slytherin.

As he made his way to the Quidditch pitch, he saw other Slytherins heading there as well.

"Malfoy, where'd you get those robes?" one of the fifth years, Andreas Kippel, asked him.

"My father," Scorpius said proudly. "He was seeker for the Slytherin team four years in a row."

The boy grinned. "Planning on following his footsteps, are you? You know that I've been the seeker for the past _three _years, don't you?"

Scorpius laughed. "I'm not planning on taking your place. I do want the Slytherin team to win, don't I?"

Kippel was the star player of the Slytherin team, and like he had said, he'd been on the team three years now. This would be his fourth year, and his third as team captain. Scorpius had no hopes of replacing him.

"We are in need of a good chaser, if you're up for that kind of physical – "

"It's exactly what I'm up for, actually," Scorpius injected.

"Well, show me what you've got, then," Kippel said, tossing him a broomstick.

They'd reached the Quidditch pitch, and the Gryffindors were just ending their time. Scorpius hopped on the broom and lifted into the air with expertise. This was not his first time on a broomstick.

He hung in the air and watched as the Gryffindor captain assigned places in the team. He listened for two names in particular, and when James Potter was named as right hand chaser he nearly fell off this broom.

_I better be right as well,_ he thought_. Or else I'll have to guard that prat the whole season. Weasley looks thrilled, though,_ he thought with disgust.

The sporty Gryffindor witch called out Rose's name then, and placed her in the seeker position.

"Can you _believe_ it, Hugo?" Rose squeezed her brother. "Me, seeker!"

The boy struggled out of her arms and finally, when he was released and could breathe again, answered, "Wicked, Rose!"

"Really though," Albus said. "I don't see why the two of you didn't tell us about your plan. I would have tried out with you."

James clapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry, bro, next year I guess."

Albus frowned.

"Sorry, Albus," Rose apologized. "We really didn't think you'd be interested. I mean you usually don't like Quidditch."

"It's true," James nodded.

"Yeah but I'd have liked to be asked," Albus said grumpily.

"Really, I am sorry," Rose said again. "But I've got to go to the library now."

"Mmhmm," James said sarcastically. "You really should work on studying. I mean it's already a week into the term and you haven't read every book in the school just yet. I'm disappointed."

"Shut it," Rose said playfully as she pushed the portrait hole open and climbed through.

"Shut what, Weasley?" Scorpius said. Rose nearly fell over from shock, and when she finally steadied herself she had no idea how to respond.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" she asked angrily.

"I wanted to congratulate you," he answered smugly. "Gryffindor seeker, that's a great feat. But Slytherin is going to slaughter your team anyway," he added nonchalantly.

Rose glared at him. "I'm sure it'll be amusing," she spat. "Watching the Slytherins make fools out of themselves while they try to defeat us. I saw you almost fall off of your broom today. That was hilarious."

"Watching me, Weasley?" Scorpius shot back. "I knew you fancied me."

Rose made a disgusted face at the thought. "You're revolting."

"I'm not sure I want to trust your opinions. I mean, why would I care what a nerdy bookworm thinks?"

Rose stared at him. "I am not a bookworm, you arrogant prat!" she insulted, trying as best she could not to attack him physically as she'd done before.

"Whatever you say Weasley," Scorpius grinned, apparently delighted that he was making her angry. "I'll see you on the Quidditch field."

"You mean tomorrow in class, you daft imbecile? We don't have games for another month," she said, slightly calmer. She was trying to remain as cool and collected as he was.

"Right then, Weasley. I see you're counting the hours until you can see me again," Scorpius said arrogantly, smirking.

"Why would I count the hours until I can see you again if you're standing right in front of me? Merlin, Malfoy, you're so stupid it hurts my head. Excuse me, but I need to replace all of the brain cells that you've just killed off."

With that, Rose swept past him and headed for the library. She smiled the whole way there, feeling as if she'd definitely come out of that argument on top.

_Dumb Slytherin_, she mocked him in her head. _You'll never win against me. Not in Quidditch, and not in anything else._

Satisfied with herself, she opened a book and immersed herself thoroughly in the rudimentary theories of the healing properties of the nurmus root.

Scorpius shifted his eyes from face to face, trying to imagine each one writing the note that he was fingering in his pocket. He'd sat at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall during all three meals for the past three weeks now, trying to figure out the identity of his secret admirer.

Of course, if had occurred to him to simply ask the girl who'd given him the note. But he wanted that to be the very _last_ option. Tonight, though, he was using her to answer one question.

He knew that her name was Ophelia Larson, because of course, everyone in the school knew who she was. He also knew that she had two younger sisters, one of them his year and the other one a first year. He placed a sizeable piece of roast chicken into his mouth as he observed the two of them from across the long table.

The younger one was prettier. She was blonde, like Ophelia, and had bright green eyes. Of course, Scorpius didn't care so much about the color of a girl's eyes, but the impact of these ones was so strong that he'd taken notice.

The second year, the one in all of his classes, was also pretty, but he'd lost any interest in her that he'd had previously. She was stupid, and not just any kind of stupid. She was rare kind of ultimately stupid person, who simply acted as if they'd never received a brain in the first place. Stupidity, like girlish giddiness, was not something Scorpius found attractive in a girl.

As he watched the younger Larson sisters, he began to hope that it was, indeed, the younger who'd written the note to him. Although, he couldn't help himself from thinking, the older one would certainly have placed the wrong "your" form in that sentence.

As he ate, he noticed the two girls begin to giggle. He rolled his eyes, wondering if it was inevitable that every girl become giddy at some point. Then, to his disbelief, they both looked up at him at the exact same time. Both girls smiled at him, then began whispering to the other once again, accompanied by many more high-pitched giggles.

He put down his fork, not exactly hungry any longer, and decided to leave the table. He didn't care so much which of the sisters wrote the note any longer, or if it was either of them at all, for that matter.

As he made his way to the door, he shook his head with disdain.

_It really is a shame that such pretty girls are so stupid_.

He turned the corner, heading to the Slytherin dungeons, when he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. He looked round and was very unsurprised to see that the middle Larson sister was standing there behind him.

"Malfoy," she said curtly.

He bowed his head slightly and greeted her as well. "Cosette."

"Listen, my sister – you've seen her, right? She's pretty and thin, she looks like me basically only a bit younger. Actually she looks rather more like Ophelia – I know, gorgeous, right? I'm sure you know who she is, her name is Antoinette. She was sitting with me just then during supper," she said all in one breath.

She spoke very quickly, but it wasn't a nervous sort of rush, it was just how she talked all the time. Scorpius found it rather irritating, especially combined with the fact that she hardly ever finished a thought before moving on to the next one.

"Anyway, she's the one who wrote you that note before, and she was wondering if you thought that she was cute also – but of course you must, I told her. Because really, who doesn't think she's cute? Right, so she wants you to meet her in the Slytherin Common Room tonight at ten if you want to. But if you don't you're crazy because Antoinette really likes you and you should definitely meet her there," she went on after taking a quick breath. "Right, so, see you in classes tomorrow," she finished enthusiastically before flouncing back into the Great Hall, leaving Scorpius in the dust.

He stood dumbstruck for about a minute, then turned around slowly and began walking to his dorm.

"So," Albus said idly as she moved his mashed potatoes around on his plate. "How is Quidditch practice going?"

Hugo perked up immediately, the boy always interested in what his sister had to say about the sport.

"It's fantastic, Albus," Rose answered happily. "I've been catching the Snitch really quickly lately. In fact, once I caught it within only 60 seconds!"

"It's true, she's a prodigy!" James agreed.

"Cool!" Hugo exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. "I want to play Quidditch!"

"You will Hugo," Rose said to her younger brother. "Of course you will, next year."

"If you want, cousin, I'll teach you how to fly like a pro. Then you'll be prepared," James said in an older-brotherly way. "You too, Albus. It'll be great fun."

Albus smiled, happy that his brother was willing to include him in Quidditch for once. Rose was not thrilled at the thought of spending even more time on a broom, but she didn't say anything just then.

Practice had been every day lately. They were only a week away from their first game, so the captain was pushing them hard. In fact, Rose had just come back from practice and hadn't even had time to change before dinner.

She was grateful, at least, that someone was taking this competition as seriously as she. Their game was against Ravenclaw, and whoever won would play Slytherin next. She wanted to beat Slytherin badly, and as soon as possible, so she was hoping on winning this game. By the amount of practice they were doing, she was sure they would do well.

She headed up to the Gryffindor tower to clean up after dinner, her muscles aching slightly as she climbed the many stairs. She went to bed early that night, just as her clock showed 9:00.


	3. Victorious

Victorious

**Victorious**

As she pulled on the tight, black leggings, all she could think was, _This is the day._ As she slipped an equally tight black shirt on, _We're going to beat Slytherin_. Black boots, light in weight to allow maximum agility, laced up to mid-calf. She tied each lace carefully, _Wait until we are up fifty points, then catch that Snitch and win._ She swung a red and gold cloak over her shoulders and clasped it at the chest. Leather gloves and protective gear completed the outfit. She tied her amber hair up into a ponytail, _I'm ready. Let's do this._

She glanced at James, and he grinned at her. "Ready Rose?"

"Of course," she smiled and took her broom into her right hand.

The Gryffindor team launched onto their brooms and soared out into open air, visible to the whole school. The Slytherin team did the same, and all of the players settled into their positions. Madam Pince released the Snitch, and the game began.

Hailey and James made incredible Chasers, as did the 7th Year girl who played Chaser as well. The Beaters kept the Bludgers away from the Chasers. _And thankfully, _thought Rose, _away from me._

Rose waited and tried to avoid the Bludgers as her team mates scored goal after goal. She could have easily caught the Snitch and won the game for Gryffindor already, but the plan was to wait. As Slytherin and Gryffindor were quite literally mortal enemies, the Gryffindor team wanted to beat them as badly as they could. So Rose was told to hold out on catching the Snitch until Gryffindor was up at least 50 points.

In her waiting, however, Slytherin managed to score two goals. The score was now 40/20 Gryffindor, as the announcer had just yelled triumphantly. Rose gripped her broom tightly with anticipation as she watched her cousin throw a Quaffle to Emily Illson, the third Gryffindor Chaser. She was right next to the Slytherin goal, and effectively shot the Quaffle through the ring before the Slytherin Keeper had time to react.

"It's 50/20 Gryffindor!" declared the announcer, Timmy Grongel, his voice booming through the stadium.

Rose hung in the air, waiting for the twenty more points that Gryffindor was bound to score. As she waited, she saw a figure hanging in the air less than ten feet in front of her. She recognized him immediately, and if she thought her voice would have been heard, she would have shouted some insulting remark at him. After all, he was the reason she wanted to win this game. She couldn't bear the thought of losing to Scorpius Malfoy.

The two glared at each other for a moment. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw a golden flash of light fly past her. She knew Scorpius had seen it too. He accelerated, but not as fast as Rose did. She turned in the air and flew toward the Snitch at full speed. Rose didn't hear the announcer say that Gryffindor had scored another goal.

To her dismay, the winged ball moved down near the pitch. Rose didn't dare back off – she knew that Scorpius was only inches behind her. She dived, not knowing and not caring what she would do after catching the Snitch only feet away from the hard ground, and still flying at full speed.

She approached it rapidly, and even as she did so she felt Scorpius' robes beating against her foot. He was gaining on her. But he was too late. Rose reached one hand out and kept the other firmly on the wood of the broom. She felt her hand enclose miraculously around the Snitch, and at that same moment pulled up on her broom to keep from hitting the ground.

Scorpius had not done so, and as she pulled back up, he ran into her and sent them both off of their brooms. Luckily, he had slowed enough to not cause any serious damage, but Rose would not have admitted this optimism. She lay underneath him, panting and furious, and at the same time elated with her victory. He stared at her, stunned, until finally someone came and removed him from his place on top of her. She felt herself be lifted from the underarms and hoisted into the air.

"We won!" James screamed. "Rose, you won the game for us!"

Rose smiled, not caring how goofy she looked. Her hand was still closed around that hard golden Snitch, and she was being carried around by her team mates (or carried to the Hospital Wing, she wasn't sure). She heard Timmy announce the final scores: Slytherin 20, Gryffindor 210.

Scorpius dragged himself out of bed, wishing with all of his might that he could just curl up and die instead of facing the day. Because this day, he was sure, was to be worse than any other in history.

He had lost. He had lost the game for his team, for himself, and worst of all, he had lost against Weasley.

Rose Weasley. Somehow she always managed to prick him with her thorns. Why was she always so good at _everything_?

Scorpius moaned a whine from the back of his throat as he made his way into the shared bathroom, not altogether thrilled to step into the cold water on such a chilly morning. He was always the last boy out of bed, and he was always punished by having a cold shower after everyone had used the hot water. Everyone other than Goyle, of course, who, Scorpius was sure, never showered.

The freezing water hit his skin and turned his skin into goose flesh. _In a world of magic_, he complained_, they haven't yet found a way to keep water warm for showers?_

He figured, though, that it wasn't impossibility keeping his superiors from warming his water. He knew that they were simply punishing those who, like Scorpius, needed a little extra beauty sleep.

_Not that extra sleep does much good on a day like this,_ he thought bitterly. His shower was as quick as he could make it, and soon he was toweling off and applying drying charms so that he could make it to breakfast on time.

When he arrived at the Slytherin table, he was greeted as he'd expected to be. No one spoke to him, but regarded him in a somewhat pitiful stare. Pitiful, and slightly angry as well.

Scorpius hadn't expected Antoinette to speak to him that morning, either. He ate his eggs and toast quietly and moved from the table as swiftly as possible. He was shocked, however, to hear the girl's small voice call out to him.

"Scorpius!" she squealed.

"Erm," he said as he turned around. "Yes?"

"I saw you out there on Saturday! I thought you were brilliant! Too bad about the end of the match, though."

"Yeah," Scorpius nodded. "Thanks."

"If it weren't for that ghastly Weasley girl," Antoinette sighed, glaring daggers at the Gryffindor table.

Scorpius didn't say anything. In fact, when he heard Antoinette say that about Rose, he was inclined to walk away on the spot. This all, of course, confused him very much; For if he allowed himself to think such things, why should someone else not be allowed to voice them? But nevertheless, a twinge of anger shot through his stomach, temporarily muting him.

Antoinette, however, continued to chatter along. "I heard that she's your sister," she said in a scandalous tone. "How terrible, being related to a Gryffindor."

"We're not really," he said. "Related, I mean. Our parents only just got married."

"Oh," Antoinette nodded. "Well, how interesting."

"Is it really?" Scorpius asked dryly. He was not in the mood to talk about his twisted family life just then.

A few more minutes of pained conversation and Scorpius finally slipped away, walking briskly to his first class: History of Magic. Professor Binns, although he had been at the school for over a century (that was Scorpius' guess anyways), was still teaching the class. Obviously, ghosts had no need to retire.

Scorpius dropped into a desk, the first in the class, and put his head in his hands. Terrible. How could a day be this bad already? He felt his breakfast churning in his stomach and thought he might be sick.

Just then, another student came in the door.

"Malfoy," the boy said. "Slytherins don't have this class yet. It's Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs first block."

Scorpius looked up to see Albus Potter standing near the doorway. The dark-haired boy looked only slightly confused, and Scorpius could find no trace of malice in his features.

_Oh great,_ he thought. _The Gryffindorks are feeling sorry for me now._

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Just then, Rose Weasley rounded the corner. Her hands were on her hips and she glared at him, saying, "You should check your schedule more often, Malfoy." She spat his name, and if he weren't in such a lethargic state, he would have had trouble hiding the anger rising in his chest at the sight of her.

"Shove off, Weasley," he growled. "And you'd better move out of my way before I have to touch you again to get through the door."

She grinned. "Touch me, you mean like you did the other day when you fell right on top of me? When you laid there like a fish out of water until someone had to drag you away? Don't even try to pretend that you don't like touching me, Malfoy."

"Why would I like touching you? You're the one who has a massive crush on me," he shot back. At least seeing Rose was getting him back into his normal mood (which, around her, was always sour and mocking).

"Ha!" she barked in laughter. "Why would I like a boy who can't even catch a little Snitch?"

Scorpius saw red. In a moment, he had lunged at her and was pulling on her hair. Their faces were inches apart and he saw a mixture of fear and anger in her brown eyes. He'd pushed her up against the frame of the doorway, but now that he had her pinned, he wasn't sure what he should do. He wasn't one to hit girls. Not that she didn't deserve it, especially after all of the times that she'd hit him.

But before he did anything, his brain began functioning again and he pushed himself off of her. His body tingled from being pressed so close to hers.

_I must have caught some infectious disease from being exposed to such a dirty Gryffindor_, he thought bitterly as he walked away to his actual first class.


	4. Forward in Time

Forward in Time

**Forward in Time**

Rose buttoned the crisp, white shirt to the collar. This could not be good. All of the buttons were practically bursting at the seams. Well, all of them above her waist, anyways.

"Mum!" she yelled out her door. "I think I might need new school clothes!"

"What's wrong Rose?" Scorpius popped his head in the door (as he always did, which annoyed her out of her mind, which he knew full well and he did it anyways, which annoyed her even more). "Did you get fatter?" he asked in a singsong voice (which also annoyed her). He knew full well that she hadn't gotten any fatter, and she knew so as well, but that didn't make the comment any less annoying.

Rose's eyes narrowed as she made his way over to him. Due to his fast reflexes – and the number of times it had happened before – he was able to remove his head before he slammed her door on it.

Today was the day that they would go to Diagon Alley. Rose looked forward to it every year, not only because she enjoyed the place, but also because the idea of the beginning of a new school year held the excitement that other visits to the same place would not hold.

Rose flung herself back onto her bed, letting the blankets envelop her. She sighed contentedly and let herself relax for a moment before she heard a knock on her door.

"Rose?" asked her brother from outside her room. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah Hugo," she said, but made no attempt to move from her comfortable place on the bed. He walked in timidly, as he always did when he needed to talk to her about something.

She lifted her head from the pillow and propped herself up on her elbows.

"What is it Hugh?" she asked softly.

"I was just wondering," he said slowly. "Well, I mean, if we have time today anyways and what not, and only if you want to – "

"Hugo what is it?" asked Rose, getting a little impatient.

"Okay," he said more determinedly. "You remember Hailey Hammenbrot's younger sister, Hannah?"

Rose smiled coyly. "You like her, don't you Hugh?!"

He flushed slightly and nodded his head. "Listen, I was just wondering if you wanted to help me pick out some really good-looking clothes so that I might impress her a little bit. I want thinking of sitting with her on the Hogwarts Express."

Rose smiled. "Oh, my little brother's first crush!" She grasped her heart in a dramatic display. Just then, she heard a button pop and saw it fly in Hugo's direction. Luckily, he dodged the plastic bullet and it hit the wall instead.

Rose burst out in laughter and Hugo looked stunned at almost being hit with the result of his sister's emerging breasts, which made her laugh even harder. She was rolling and howling on her bed for the next five minutes, and by the time her fit had died down, Hugo came back in to let her know that they were leaving in a minute. The sight of him brought on a whole new fit of giggles, and she could hardly contain herself enough to put on a stretchy t-shirt and pull on her shoes.

"Dad," Scorpius whispered as he tugged on Delilah's hand, making sure that she kept up with the group. "Are we staying with them all day?"

"What do you mean _them_, Scorpius?" Draco said. "We _are_ them. They are us. We are one, together – "

"Oh spare me," Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"Fine, you can take your sister to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, and we will meet you two there later on," his father laughed.

Scorpius, although not thrilled with the prospect of carting around a three-year-old in Diagon Alley, took the offer without another word. Delilah was the only person he felt like tolerating at the moment anyways. After two years of living together, spending more than half an hour with the Weasley siblings was like torture.

Especially Rose, with her breasts and tight Muggle jeans and her batting eyelashes. _Damn, woman, will you ever get over your crush on me?_ he thought to himself. _Always trying to impress me – so pathetic._

Scorpius entered the shop and heard the little jingle of the bell on the door, which made him smile. If he liked shopping at all, he liked shopping for new clothes the most. He let Delilah wander around by herself while he scanned the store for new additions.

After trying on a couple of robes (black with green trimming, of course­)­, he was almost certain that he had his final choice. The robes were thick and soft, and the insides were silk – a nice secret that he always enjoyed.

He had begun scanning the store for slacks when he saw his family coming through the door.

"I was thinking of a slightly tighter pair of slacks, Hugo, these are a little too loose," Rose was saying.

"How could they get any tighter, Rose?" Scorpius included himself in the conversation.

"Not me you idiot – girls don't even wear slacks at Hogwarts," she rolled her eyes. "Mind your own business, anyways."

He watched her walk to the other end of the store before he looked down at the pair of pants he was considering. All of the sudden he'd lost interest in the pants.

"Scorpus," he heard Delilah saying from some nearby rack of clothing. "Come find me."

He knew where she was, but he pretended not to for a few minutes until he could find her in the clothes rack and not have to play the game again. Then he took her over to where his father and Hermione were waiting for Rose and Hugo to emerge from their dressing rooms.

"Did you find a new robe?" Hermione asked him.

He nodded. "It's got silk," he said, handing the robe to his father.

"What do you think mum?" Rose asked brightly as she emerged from the curtains.

She was wearing a normal Hogwarts uniform, but Scorpius had never seen it look so… provocative… on anyone else. The fitted white shirt clung to her, outlining every curve. The skirt was relatively short – Rose had inherited her father's genes and was taller than most 4th year girls. The plaid skirt fell to about 1/3 of the way down her thigh, and the sight of so much of her leg made him uncomfortable.

"You look great Rose," Hermione said. She obviously had not seen the amount of leg that her daughter was sporting.

Scorpius rather thought that he should point it out to her. "Don't you think the skirt's a little – ahem, revealing?" he said in a skeptical tone.

Rose only growled at him. "Stop checking me out, creep," she said from between her teeth.

"Alright, enough," Draco said sternly, then a lit more softly, "Rose, the uniform is great. Grab five or so pairs. Hugo, you almost ready?"

Hugo emerged looking mortified. Scorpius laughed and had to keep himself from asking if Hugo'd accidentally grabbed a pair of women's trousers. Or not accidentally, for that matter.

"Oh Hugo," Rose beamed at him. "You look great. It's so nice to see that you have legs instead of tree trunks."

Hugo blushed even deeper.


	5. First Match

Scorpius sat in the green chair in the very corner of the common room, the one right next to the fireplace, and tapped his fin

**First Match**

Scorpius sat in the green chair in the very corner of the common room, the one right next to the fireplace, and tapped his fingers nervously on the armrests. He'd never had a secret meeting with a girl before. He'd never had a meeting _at all_ with a girl, come to think of it.

Unlike Draco had been even at this young age, Scorpius was not the kind of boy who found much interest in girls. It wasn't that he didn't like them, because he certainly did like a few of them, but simply that he found better uses of his time.

That didn't seem to change the fact, however, that they were interested in him. A girl at the very beginning of his first year had taken a liking to him, and she'd begun the terrible habit of following him around, eating across the table from him during mealtimes – and she was not the most elegant eater. He'd avoided her as much as he could for most of the year, and gladly found near the end that she had placed her obsessive interests elsewhere. She started dating Barnibus Bleekly, who seemed to find her habits pleasing enough.

Scorpius had seen her earlier that day, in fact. She'd been whispering with Antoinette, now that he thought about it. Scorpius gulped nervously. He could only hope that his newer admirer didn't take to the actions of her friend.

A noise on the girls' staircase jarred him from his thoughts, and he snapped up in his seat. He saw Antoinette coming now, stepping down each stair light-heartedly with her small dancer's feet. She reminded him of a ballerina, flitting around a stage to beautiful music.

Her wardrobe was almost that of a ballerina as well. A pink skirt floated lightly around her knees and tightened upwards into a very fitted nightgown. As she was only 11 years old, the tightness of the garment revealed nothing other than her slender torso, but this was pleasing enough to Scorpius.

She smiled mischievously as she hopped over to him, passing the three boys sitting on a couch facing the opposite direction. The boys had been there for hours, and Scorpius did not think that they would be leaving any time soon. Their presence held some sort of security for him though, because he was afraid of being alone with Antoinette, knowing the reputation of her oldest sister.

"Hi Scorpius," she said in a high-pitched and dream-like voice. "I didn't know you would be here."

Scorpius frowned and shifted in his seat. "But you umm… you told me to be here. Didn't you? That's what Cosette – "

She lifted a finger to her mouth and hissed softly. "Alright, I did know," she admitted. "But it's still a nice surprise."

Scorpius raised his eyebrows skeptically. He wasn't sure what to say. In fact, he wasn't sure whether or not he should be breathing. At the moment, his brain had told him to stop. He simply stared at the young witch as she sent an_ Incendio_ spell at the fireplace and the logs roared into flames.

"Mmm, that's better," she said, moving to sit on a sofa near Scorpius' chair.

Scorpius watched the flames, glad to have a reason not to look at Antoinette. He was feeling awfully nervous, and was beginning to wish he'd never agreed to meet her. After Merlin knows how long of pained silence, she gave a small cough to attract his attention.

He turned his eyes on her, and she smiled graciously.

"Don't you want to come sit with me?" she asked flirtatiously.

Scorpius cleared his throat. "Right," he said awkwardly, and stood to join her on the sofa (which was beginning to look too small to fit two people on).

When he sat down, pressed as close to the left arm as he could be, he could practically feel her thigh touching his. The three inches in between them shrank each second, and his body stayed rigid in his seat as an effort to remain in his own space.

"Is something wrong?" she asked after a moment.

"No, it's just…" Scorpius searched for an answer. "I think I'm feeling sick," he lied.

Antoinette jumped back, seemingly repulsed. "Really?" she asked, sounding frightened. "Sick how?"

"I don't know," Scorpius said, happy that he'd found a reason to get away. "I think I need to lay down."

His plan backfired.

"Oh, perfect!" Antoinette exclaimed. "Lay down and put your head in my lap! I can sing to you and make you feel better!"

Scorpius winced, but followed her instructions, carefully and stiffly lowering his head sideways into her lap. He tried to keep from touching her completely, but when she put her hands on him, one on his chin and the other on the top of his head, she practically pulled him down so that he was sitting comfortably. Well, it would have been comfortable, anyway, if he hadn't been so completely uncomfortable with the whole situation.

She began to sing, but Scorpius couldn't focus on what she was saying. His blood was pulsing in his ears, distracting him.

_At least_, he thought to himself_, I don't have to say anything as long as she keeps singing._

That was his only consolation as he sat there for the next hour listening to every lullaby known to the Wizard world at least twice.

"I can't think of any others," Antoinette said finally after a little while of silence. "Do you feel better?"

Scorpius sat up quickly, once again moving to the far left side of the sofa. His ear and side of his face burned from touching her for so long.

"Lots," he lied. He only felt worse now. "But I'm really tired after all of your beautiful singing. I think maybe I ought to go to bed."

"Really? My singing is beautiful? Oh, I must get that from my mother – " she began, and continued to tell him the story of her mother's childhood and her failed plans to become a famous singer. After another half hour of sitting in silence and listening to her voice, Scorpius was finally able to slip off to bed.

Crawling under the covers of his four-poster bed, he was unsure of how he felt. Antoinette was a very pretty girl, and very nice as well, but how could he like someone that he felt so uncomfortable around?

The last thought that went through his head as he dropped off to sleep was,_ I hope I'm not too tired for Quidditch practice tomorrow. I have to get good enough to pulverize Weasley in our match._

Early Saturday morning the whole school was alive in anticipation. The first Quidditch match of the season was always an exciting event, and each student dressed in their house colors to support their teams. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were especially alive that morning as they chowed down their breakfasts in a hurry. Rose watched the Ravenclaw team from her spot at the Gryffindor table.

"You think we'll beat them?" Hugo asked excitedly as he bit into his toast and jam.

"I know we will, cousin!" James announced enthusiastically.

"Yeah, Hugo, our team is the best by far!" Hailey Hammenbrot, the team's other chaser, affirmed.

Rose glanced at James and saw his eyes fixed not on the Ravenclaw table, but at a certain Slytherin.

"It'll be great, James, don't worry," she whispered. She was sitting right next to him, so she was sure that no one other than him heard her. Even if they had, they wouldn't have known what she was talking about. No one knew about James' crush other than her.

"I'm not worried," James said. "I'm just… admiring. You'll understand someday."

Rose frowned. "I know what admiration is, James."

"Not like this," he said, trying to spoon a heap of eggs into his mouth but missing and hitting his cheek instead. He jumped, finally ceasing his eye contact with the back of Ophelia's head. He wiped his cheek off hastily and then rose from the table.

"I'm going to get dressed," he told Rose.

"Okay James, see you on the pitch!" she said cheerily. She was only slightly nervous, and more excited to show the school her skills on her broom. She knew that she was good; there were times when she would catch the Snitch only moments after it was released.

She glanced back at Ophelia momentarily and saw Malfoy talking animatedly with Antoinette, who was sitting right next to her oldest sister. A pang of annoyance shot through her, but she ignored it, telling herself that she was only annoyed at seeing Scorpius at all.

"I'm going to go get ready as well," she said to Hugo and Albus minutes later.

Her confidence regarding the match was not unfounded. After allowing her teammates to score three goals on the Ravenclaw team, she quickly found the Snitch and closed her hand around it, ending the game and claiming a victory for Gryffindor.

It was mid-October and fall was closing in on Hogwarts. All of the students had taken to wearing their heavier cloaks and house scarves to shield them against the cold. It was not so freezing, however, that Rose and her boys would refuse a nice walk around the grounds during their free hour.

James and Albus looked strikingly similar underneath their red and gold beanies, which covered up their hair completely. The only difference in her cousins, as far as looks went, was their hair colors. James had inherited his father's raven black hair, but Albus had received a mix between Harry and Ginny's hair colors, coming out with a dark-ish brown with a red tone that shined in the sun. Now, with their differences hidden, the two boys looked almost exactly alike.

It was a good think, in Rose's opinion, that James has just grown about four inches, placing almost a half-foot above Albus' head. Albus was the smallest of them, despite the fact that Hugo was a year and a half younger. Hugo had inherited his father's build, which was tall and thin. He was already almost taller than Rose, who only had about an inch on him. Albus was at least two inches shorter than Hugo, and none of them ever let him forget it.

Albus was probably the smartest out of the four of them, at least that's what his grades showed. He was also incredibly good at Quidditch, and could duel against anyone in his year and win. His height was his only weakness, which is why he was picked on so often for it.

"Who d'you think would win in a race, Rose? Me, or Albus?" Hugo had just asked.

"Well, probably you Hugo," she answered. "Your legs are longer."

Albus didn't respond; he was used to the cracks at his height, and knew that his cousin was only joking. Hugo, however, was determined to race against him.

"Come on, Albus, let's go. We can start at that tree and run to this rock over here."

"Oh, fine," Albus finally agreed.

"I want to race," James put in.

"No, you can't!" Hugo argued. "You know you would win for sure!"

"Exactly," James grinned.

"Fine, but you don't count in the final scores," Hugo said before running to the tree that they had set as their starting place.

Rose sat near the tree, uninterested in participating in this event. The boys ended up running around for a good thirty minutes, leaving her to watch their hilarity and think in quiet. Which was the way she liked it.

Her peace was disturbed, however, when she heard a voice behind her.

"Just sitting Weasley?" Scorpius said. "You should be practicing. If you don't watch out, you'll find yourself losing sorely when you go against us. No that you won't lose anyways," he added.

She turned around to face him, already furious.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she hissed.

"Just to see how my favorite Gryffindor is doing, that's all."

"I'm your – ?"

"That's why I came to talk to Hugo," he added, interrupting her question.

Rose made a sour face and turned back around. "Good, well, if you didn't come to see me, then don't talk to me, Malfoy."

"Well, as it appears, Hugo is busy, erm, training for the Olympics…" he stepped closer to her. "I suppose I'll have to just – "

"Don't sit next to me, Scorpius," Rose interjected, but he had already done so.

"What do you want with my brother, anyways?" she growled.

"That's not any of your concern," Scorpius replied airily.

"Umm, yes it is," she said angrily. "He's _my_ brother, not – "

"Did you forget so quickly, Weasley? He _is _my brother, as much as he is yours, legally. So really, it's just a brother-to-brother conversation, and sister should stay out of it."

"He's _not_ your brother, you prat!" she said accusingly. "And I most certainly will not stay out – "

"Careful, Weasley. You wouldn't want to let your temper get the better of you. After all, what have I really done in this situation that warrants your fury?"

"You've – been – a huge – dolt," she said in between punches. She was on top of him soon, holding his hands above his head and glaring into his eyes. She took pleasure in the fearful look on his face.

Albus, James, and Hugo came running, and one of them screamed, "Rose! What are you doing?!"

She sprung off of him in an instant, standing tall over him and smoothing her clothes. He was still lying in the grass, looking awestruck but not awfully hurt.

"Nothing," she growled. "Let's go."

The four of them turned to leave, each one whispering insults to Malfoy under their breaths. But then, after about thirty seconds, Rose heard him yell, "Wait, Hugo!"

Hugo spun around, frowning. "What d'you want, Malfoy?"

"I think your mum packed these in my case," he said, pulling a pair of really thick wool socks from his coat.


	6. Triangle

**Love Triangle (or Trapezoid)**

Scorpius was not upset about leaving his family to board the Hogwarts Express. In fact, he wished that _less_ of his family was boarding the train along with him.

It wasn't that he disliked them. He'd shaken hands with his father before parting, and he very much appreciated the endearing look in his father's eyes as he said goodbye. Delilah had barely let go of him on the platform. She'd grabbed onto his robes with her little fists and refused to loosen her grip, yelling the whole time, "Scorpus! Scorpus no! Please stay!" He remembered her highly exaggerated emotions with a smile as he settled into the plush seat in the empty compartment he'd just found.

Even Hermione had hugged him goodbye in her motherly way, which he admired whole-heartedly. He was rather fond of his family, actually. Even Hugo had become somewhat of a friend over the three long months of summer. Sure, they had their differences, but they got along alright.

Especially compared to Scorpius and Rose. Scorpius scowled at the thought of her, but found himself dwelling on the image of her long, soft thigh exposed under that skirt for a bit longer than he should have – and a bit more enthusiastically, as well.

"Malfoy," he heard a grunt, which jarred him out of his meditation.

"Goyle. And Bleekly," he nodded to them both curtly.

"Hey Malfoy, good summer?" Barnibus Bleekly asked, and then before Scorpius got the chance to answer, he continued, "I had a great summer. You know Loletta and I broke it off, right?"

"I didn't, actually," Scorpius said absentmindedly. "Why was it this time?"

"Oh you know," Bleekly grinned evilly. "I wanted to test other waters."

Just then, as if on cue, a blonde popped her head in the compartment and planted a kiss on Bleekly's freckled cheek. It took Scorpius a moment to realize who she was, and when he did he was practically blown away.

"Cosette?" he asked in awe.

"Oh hey Malfoy," she batted her eyelashes at him.

"You've – ah – changed…" Scorpius muttered, his mouth feeling dry all of the sudden.

Cosette placed her hands on her hips, which made her waist look even thinner, which made her bust look even larger, which made Scorpius' mouth even drier.

"You like?" she asked in a high-pitched squeak. "Oh, Scorpius," she fawned on him all of the sudden. "I've asked Antoinette to sit with us! Are you proud of me? I knew you'd want her to. She's changed too, you know. She's gotten quite a bit taller. Actually, I think she might even be taller than I am by now. Strange, huh? You'd think your younger sister would always be shorter, but it's pretty strange how fast she shot up. And of course she's the prettier sister all the more because of it. She looks so much like Ophelia it scares me sometimes. But Scorpius, I bet you don't want to spend all of this time talking about Antoinette. How are you? How was your summer?"

Cosette paused and seemed to breathe finally, which was a huge relief to Scorpius. Although he'd gotten used to the fact that Cosette could somehow hold her breath for almost five minutes while she chattered on. Now, however, she was staring at him with a blank expression. He was about to answer when another blonde burst in the door.

"Cosette! You won't _believe_ what just happened!" Antoinette said. Then she glanced at Scorpius and her face went just the slightest bit pink. "Oh, Scorpius," she said grinning. "Hi."

Scorpius found himself grinning as well, although he was not quite sure why.

"What is it, Nettie?" Cosette interrupted the silent moment that the two of them had created. "What just happened that I won't believe?"

Antoinette rolled her eyes and dropped onto the seat next to Scorpius. "Oh, never mind, it's nothing," she said. "I'll tell you later."

Scorpius glanced down at Antoinette's leg next to his and noticed with a shock that she seemed to have bought the same exact skirt at Rose Weasley. He felt his stomach tighten slightly at the sight of her bared expanse of skin.

All of the sudden, it seemed to Scorpius, every girl in the world was becoming extremely appealing. Along with the tightening in his stomach came a tightening in his trousers, and he shifted in his seat to hide the evidence. He also shifted his gaze from Antoinette's leg to Goyle's pimpled face. That helped.

Rose tapped her fingers on the sill of the window.

"What do you think he's doing with Hannah in that compartment?" James asked anxiously.

"Oh, I'm sure they're just hanging out with the other Hufflepuffs," Rose said airily. "I'm more worried about what he's going to be doing with her all year. We're obviously not as exciting as a trio."

"True," asserted Albus without looking up from his book on Quidditch.

"Yeah," said James. "We need the little guy."

Rose smiled fondly and began tapping her finger on the sill again. It was interesting to see the slow tapping of her slender, pale fingers against the fast rolling of bright green hills behind the panes of the window.

She wondered if Hugo was kissing Hannah at that moment. And then she wondered, if he was, what it felt like.

Subconsciously her fingers slipped up to her mouth and pressed themselves on her lips. She stared at the scenery outside the window and eventually her gaze shallowed onto the reflection of herself in the window.

She was not stupid. She realized how much she'd grown up, and quite frankly she was enjoying it. She saw the way Scorpius would look at her sometimes, and she even noticed some of the boys looking at her the same way in Diagon Alley and while boarding the Hogwarts Express.

Of course she was only fourteen, but to her, that was pretty old. After all, it was the oldest she'd ever been. And she was going to be fifteen in a few months. And fifteen is _really _old. It's only two years away from being of age. She already was getting used to the whole "being a woman" idea, too.

And she longed to be kissed.

Desperately.

About a week later, Scorpius finally had some time to himself. The first week of school had not been academically challenging, but it was testing in every other way. He'd grown accustomed to sleeping in his own room each night without the sound of Goyle's snoring. Having to adjust to living in a single room with six other boys was tough, especially considering how much Scorpius had begun to like his privacy.

Another intrusion in his bubble, who had been one for the past two years in fact, was Antoinette Larson. She swarmed around him constantly, always talking about how she liked his hair, how his new robes made him look so handsome, how he was so lucky to have inherited such good looks. Secretly, he loved the praise, but he would have rather received it from someone else. Antoinette was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a beautiful girl. But she was so obnoxious, Scorpius sometimes wondered if he wouldn't like her more if she was ugly and insecure.

If he did like her, that would solve so many of his problems. Not only would he love to finally get a girlfriend, but he wouldn't mind dating the prettiest girl in school.

_Oh, maybe I should just do it,_ he told himself constantly_. After all, it's not like we'll have to get married or something. I could just date her for a while and then we could break up later._

The only problem he found in the situation was his absolute loathing for her personality.

_Still_, he argued to himself,_ her personality doesn't matter all that much when she's my partner in Potions and she bends over enough that I can see down her shirt…_

Scorpius shoved the image, however attractive it was, into the back of his mind and tried to concentrate on the book he was reading. But images of Antoinette's breasts and that short skirt of Rose's kept popping up in his mind's eye, and his frustration eventually led to him throwing his book on the ground and spending his alone time differently.

It was three weeks into the term when Gryffindor Quidditch practices began. Hailey Hammenbrot, who still played Chaser along with James Potter and Gregory Illson (Emily Illson's second-year brother), had become the new team captain. She ran the team differently than the captain before her. Hailey believed that morning was the best time for practice because all of her players had their energy from the night before. She though that practices in the morning were much more beneficial than ones in the afternoon.

So, early Saturday morning, the Quidditch pitch is where Rose Weasley and her two cousins found themselves. Hugo had decided not to try out – he didn't want Hannah to get frustrated with his inability to spend time with her.

Rose had known that she would make Seeker again. It was no secret that she was good at catching that Snitch. She was excited for the new season – another victorious one for Gryffindor, no doubt.

Her spirits were high as she soared into the air. But the sight of a green and silver scarf waving in the wind served to dampen her elation. The blonde head was recognizable even from that height – it was Antoinette Larson.

Rose had always disliked the girl. She wasn't sure if it had to do with the way her older sister had rejected her cousin or with the fact that she threw herself all over Scorpius in the most unseemly manner possible. Most likely both. Not that she cared who threw themselves at the boy, she just didn't want to see it publicly.

She growled as she watched the Slytherin girl make her way into the stands and place herself near the Keeper's rings.

_Why is she watching my cousin?_ she asked angrily.

After practice, she made a point to bring it up. The three of them were lounging in the Gryffindor common room after showering off, and Rose turned to Albus.

"Hey, Al, do you have any idea what Antoinette Larson was doing at practice today?" she asked in a false curious tone.

He frowned. "She was? Really?"

Rose detected a note of excitement in his voice that she cared to ignore. "Yes, she was right there. She was watching you, I think. She sat right near your rings. You didn't see her?"

Albus shook his head. "Nope."

"I did," James said somewhat to himself, in a rather dreamy tone.

Rose frowned at him. "Oh no, you're not on about her now, are you?"

James shrugged.

"Really Rose, who _isn't_ on about her?" Albus said.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Anyone in their right mind, that's for sure," she said bitterly. "I'm going to lunch."

She left the common room in a huff, and heading down to the Great Hall, she hoped she didn't see Antoinette. Or any other Larson sister, for that matter.

She should have known that she would, though. Not only did she see both Larson sisters, but she saw them both sitting next to Scorpius, which made her stomach tighten uncomfortably. Those girls were really getting to her, and she couldn't even pinpoint why.

She ate quickly and headed to the Library. At least there she wouldn't have to see any stupid gorgeous blondes. You could bet that none of the girls in that family had even stepped foot in the Hogwarts Library.

Scorpius tried to shove his food down quickly that day. Not only was his present company making him rapidly lose his appetite with all of their talking and giggling, but the glares from the Gryffindor table (from one girl in particular) were not doing much for his mood either. And when she left, he watched her leave and knew exactly where she was going to.

And he wanted so badly to follow her.


	7. For Jealousy

For Jealousy's Sake

**For Jealousy's Sake**

She was really good at being sneaky. It had something to do with the fact that she was so pretty, so that no one suspected her of anything bad. She roamed the halls well past midnight almost every night, just because she knew she could. Filch never caught her – not even his little patchy cat did.

She usually wandered without aim, but she was heading to the Gryffindor common room at the moment.

She could not even believe what was happening. When she had attended the Gryffindor Quidditch practice weeks before, she hadn't hoped for such results! She thought that maybe she would be able to distract one of the players a little, make them fall off of their broomsticks. That always made her feel pretty. And of course, she'd gone to watch James Potter on his broom. But she hadn't hoped to get his attention. Such luck, she thought, was beyond her grasp. Yet here she was, lucky as could be.

Hours earlier, she had sat in the Halloween feast and flirted with Scorpius Malfoy until she didn't think she could stand it any longer. You see, flirting was very tiring business when the one you're flirting with doesn't respond. Still, she always flirted… she didn't know why anymore.

But she was getting off topic again. She ran over the events in her mind yet again.

She'd left the Great Hall once again, like every night, feeling rejected and worthless. She chewed on her lip as she headed toward the dungeons where she could slip into her bed and forget the stupid Slytherin that had her heart and didn't even notice.

But she was interrupted, and not all that rudely either.

"Antoinette," said a voice from behind her. A rather deep voice, she noted. And one that she wasn't familiar with. She spun around slowly and saw James Potter.

_And not a terrible sight to see_, she reminded herself giddily.

"I umm… I was wondering what your plans are for tonight," he said slowly, but surprisingly confidently.

She chewed her lip more. She knew how she would take this.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. "I was just going to turn in for the night. It's already almost nine o'clock…" She smiled in the prettiest, most blameless smile she could.

He grinned at her and she almost swooned. He had a very nice smile, very masculine.

"How would you like to meet me?" he asked, lowering his voice as a couple of sixth years walked by.

She smiled innocently again, but in her mind she was beaming. "I don't know, James," she said skeptically. "It's already rather late."

He stepped closer, making her take a step back until her back touched the wall lightly.

"Please," he said earnestly.

She bit her lip. She was only teasing, of course she would meet him. A third year never passed up a chance to tryst with a fifth year, especially not one as good looking as James Potter. And especially not when it might give her the chance to make Scorpius Malfoy jealous, and make him realize his own feelings for her.

_Not that we will be trysting_, she reminded herself sternly as she whispered the password to the Fat Lady, who swung open with a skeptical look on her face.

"James," she said quietly. He was sitting with his back to her, watching the fire flicker in the fireplace.

He turned and saw her, and a wide smile spread across his handsome face. "I'm glad you came," he whispered.

She smiled. She didn't know exactly what to say. She sat next to him on the sofa and looked up into his swimming green eyes. He really was striking.

"Antoinette – have you ever kissed someone before?" he asked, keeping eye contact with her.

She shook her head slowly, smirking a little.

_He wants to kiss me! He wants to kiss me!_ her head screamed. She was very pleased by that. Not only would she get to kiss a very handsome boy, but she would probably be able to make Scorpius jealous at the same time! It couldn't get any better.

"I haven't either," he whispered. "Not yet."

She expected him to move in just then, so when he didn't she was very surprised. "Would you… would you like to kiss me?" she said, trying to sound as sexy as she could.

James grinned. "Of course I would," he said. "But not yet…"

She frowned. "Well why not?" she asked, forgetting to keep her voice down.

He clasped his hand over her mouth, and then to her utter shock she heard a voice from upstairs.

"James? You down there?"

James jumped on top of her and covered them with some sort of liquid-like fabric. She gasped when she saw Albus Potter appear at the top of the stairs.

_Oh Merlin,_ she though, _I'm going to get expelled._

But then, Albus stopped. He stared in their direction, but didn't seem to see them.

She was breathing so deeply and her heart was beating furiously. She watched with a mixed sense of confusion and dread as Albus looked around the common room.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he spun on his heel and left.

She breathed a sigh of relief and noticed for the first time James' weight on top of her. Not only did she notice that she felt the weight, but she noticed that she rather liked it.

Their eyes caught and she felt her heart beat race even faster, if that was possible. He was holding himself above her, and she could see the muscles in his arms out of the corners of her eyes. She felt his hot breath on her, and strangely enough, she enjoyed it.

Time seemed to freeze. She stared up at him, both of them unblinking. In that moment she saw something that she had never seen in anyone before. In his eyes was a crazy mixture of desire and need and determination, and she was taken aback just as much as she was intrigued.

She'd stopped breathing altogether, and when she realized it she opened her mouth and let out a small sigh.

Before she even knew what was happening, James' mouth was on hers and his hands were in her hair. She was so startled by his intensity that she couldn't even kiss him back for a moment. His lips moved on hers so powerfully and yet so softly at the same time.

Suddenly it occurred to her that he'd been wanting to do this for a long time.

Something shot through her, some burst of lightening, and she began to move her lips at last. She pressed herself hard against him, from her lips to her thighs. She felt the heat exuding from him, and it was both a comfort and a stimulus. Her head began to swim as she deepened the kiss, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth urgently. She returned the gesture, emanating a pleased sigh from somewhere deep in his throat.

There under James Potter in the Gryffindor common room, she kissed a boy for the first time in her life.

And Merlin, did she kiss him.

Lily Potter was a Ravenclaw. The year before, when she'd first been sorted into the house of brains, she was horribly disappointed. But now, a whole year later, she was rather proud of the position she had. She was the only Weasley descendant to ever be in a house other than Gryffindor for as far as anyone could remember. It set her apart, and when your family makes up about a fourth of the Wizarding population of Britain, that was something to be excited over.

On the other hand, it did have its downsides. She hardly ever got to spend time with either of her brothers, or her cousins for that matter. It worried her when she heard things all over the school and she didn't even know for sure if they were true or not.

Of course, this time she was fairly certain it was not true, but who could tell? James could very well have seduced the prettiest girl in school and snogged with her in the Gryffindor common room.

She laughed at the thought. No, it was not possible.

Scorpius was rather thrilled to be able to eat, for once, without the constant chattering of the Larson girls making his head throb. It didn't even bother him all that much to put up with the sorry glances from his fellow Slytherins, or from the whole school in fact. He even was able to deal with her sulking apologetic stares in his direction, if it meant he could live in peace for once.

The thing that did bother him, though, was the fact that it was James Potter. Really, he wouldn't have minded if it was anyone else. But James Potter?

Scorpius asked himself over and over if he was better than James or not. Better looking? Definitely. Better at Quidditch? Most likely. Smarter? Well they weren't in the same year, so of course James knew more, but Scorpius was sure that he was more intelligent over all.

So then why?

"Why?" he muttered.

"Will you just leave her alone, Scorpius?" Cosette shrieked. Antoinette looked like she might cry.

Scorpius frowned. "Sorry," he muttered again, although he wasn't sure exactly what he did to offend her.

Antoinette looked him in the eyes for the first time all day. "Scorpius, if you're jealous, then maybe you should have taken action sooner." There was a note of bitterness in her voice that he was actually a bit fearful of.

"Jealous?" he asked, bewildered.

"Yes, Scorpius, jealous!" Cosette said shrilly.

"Antoinette, I'm not jealous," he said calmly. He realized immediately that it was the wrong thing to say.

Her bottom lip started to shake and he saw tears well up in her eyes.

"How could you not be jealous?!" she screamed. "I'm the prettiest girl in the school! And I loved you since the day I saw you! You had me wrapped around your finger! Does that mean nothing to you?!"

Scorpius was stunned. So stunned that he couldn't speak. He just got up and left the table, wondering how in the world he could have upset everyone this much without having done anything.

He let his feet carry him down the halls and to the last place he thought he would seek out for comfort. As he stepped into the Library, the dusty smell of old paper filled his nostrils and somehow seemed to relax him. He lowered himself onto a hard chair and sunk his head into his hands.

Rose glared at the Slytherin table throughout the whole evening meal, but for once it was for a different reason.

She had known something terrible would happen since the day when that little conniving princess had shown up on her Quidditch pitch.

She was practically a _Veela_, stealing all of those boys' affection and never returning it. But now that she had decided to return it, it had to be with _her_ cousin. Her favorite cousin! Not that she would have admitted so.

Ugh, the Larson girls. Always hurting James over and over again.

Rose loathed them. And now, watching Antoinette yell at Scorpius Malfoy as she admitted her feelings for him, she hated Antoinette Larson even more than the rest of them.

Her chest clenched as she saw Scorpius rise from the Slytherin table and walk out of the Great Hall. She was practically seething with hate for Antoinette.

And with one glance at her love-struck cousin, she knew that she was the only one.

"James," she said through her teeth. "I can't believe all of the trouble you've caused."

He didn't even flinch.

_Great, the Veela has enchanted him too,_ Rose thought with disgust. She made to leave the Great Hall. There was no way she could sit in the same room, no matter how large, with the girl who stole all men's affection away.


	8. Plan To Prove It

Rose glided into the library with a surprising amount of grace, considering the rage boiling inside of her at that very moment

**Plan to Prove It**

Rose glided into the library with a surprising amount of grace, considering the rage boiling inside of her at that very moment.

And of course, the sight of silvery blonde hair across the room did nothing to sooth the anger.

Making an effort to keep herself calm, she strode over to him. As she got nearer, she sensed a feeling of distress coming from his hunched-over form.

_Well, of course he's distressed_, she snarled to herself. _His gorgeous little girl friend has run off with another._

She grimaced, remembering the sad fact of her cousin's actions. Scorpius looked up at her just then, and his own face mirrored hers.

"What do you want with me, Weasley? Don't you think I've had enough torment for today?" he said in a surprisingly convincing tone.

"I don't think you've had enough torment in your whole lifetime, as a matter of fact. But that is neither here nor there. What are you doing at my table?" Rose said coldly.

Scorpius cocked an eyebrow (and Rose couldn't deny that the action made him look somewhat attractive). "Your table?" he said sarcastically as he stood up. He bowed mockingly before continuing, "Well, excuse me for infringing upon your property."

Rose glared at him. She had a mind to slap him just then, but she refrained. "Oh, shut up, you dimwit. Sit, for all I care. But you'll have to deal with the fact that learning may take place at one point or another. I know how you despise knowledge so."

To her surprise, Scorpius lowered himself back into his chair. Rose frowned and sat as well, opening her pack and removing a hefty book. She opened it, fully intending to drown out her thoughts of the boy sitting across from her.

"The Lethargus Root has been known for centuries to hold powers similar to those of the Poppy flower. It is used commonly in medical clinics for aiding sleep. Although it is difficult to locate, the root is highly useful because of its – Poppy flower. It is used commonly in medical clinics for aiding sleep. Although it is difficult to locate, the root – Poppy flower. It is used commonly in medical – Although it is difficult to – Poppy flower. Although it is difficult – Poppy – Medical – Poppy flower –"

"SCORPIUS WOULD YOU PLEASE QUIT HUMMING?"

Rose scowled at Scorpius as he frowned, looking somewhat hurt.

"Sorry. I was bored," he shrugged.

Rose made a noise of mock surprise. "Well, Scorpius, maybe you should find a place where the activities suit your brain level better."

"Oh, as if you're the most intelligent person in the whole world," Scorpius growled. "What are you reading about? I'll bet I already know about it."

"Fine," Rose agreed haughtily. "Lethargus Root. Go."

Scorpius frowned for a moment, then said, "Oh, please, that's an easy one. People use it as a sleep aid. It makes you _lethargic_."

Rose narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you know that?" she asked, somewhat amazed.

"The name," Scorpius divulged nonchalantly. "Lethargus, lethargic, it sounds the same. Was I right about what it does?"

Rose growled. "You were only guessing. That doesn't count."

However, the next time he began humming, she didn't try to yell at him.

Their time in the library that day seemed to change the dynamics of Rose's relationship with Scorpius. Somehow, those couple of hours spent in silent companionship had changed the way she saw him. Now, as she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see him stooping over his cauldron, she felt no hatred. She even thought, though she would never admit it, that she might be slightly fond of the arrogant, aristocratic fool.

For once, though, Scorpius was not the boy on her mind. A week before, the stocky, brown-haired Seeker of the Hufflepuff team had approached her and asked, very awkwardly, if she would meet him for tea during their approaching visit to Hogsmeade this coming weekend.

His name was Dirk Dimmerman, and he was a fifth year. That was basically all she knew of him, aside from the fact that he made a barely decent Seeker. He seemed to have been impressed by her skills, though, because he asked her out only minutes after she defeated his Quidditch team brutally.

She accepted, although certainly not because of her will to date him. She had never been asked out before, and there was a part of her than said _'If you say no, then no one will ever ask you out again'_. Aside from that, it would have been awkward, even more awkward than it already was, if she'd said no.

She was not excited, however, about the idea of spending her Hogsmeade weekend sipping tea with a boy whose last name included the word "dim".

Saturday morning rolled around faster than she thought possible, and she was finding that there was no way to escape from her engagement with Dirk.

Hugo was excited, though. "Just think," he kept saying. "Both of us hooking up with Hufflepuffs. Who would have thought?"

"I hardly would call having tea with a boy 'hooking up,' Hugo. And I certainly hope that you aren't 'hooking up' with Hannah during all of those study dates you two keep having," Rose retorted smartly, although the blush that burned in Hugo's cheeks afterward scared Rose more than the thought of her date with Dirk. She really did hope that they weren't shagging yet.

Her cousins, however, were not as excited as Hugo was about Dirk the "Dimmest" Man, as they kept calling him.

"Really, Rose, this boy has a lump of spaghetti for a brain," James divulged, his tone of voice completely serious.

Rose very much doubted this, but it would not have surprised her to find out that he was not the highest in his class. He hadn't even used correct grammar when he was asking her to tea with him (he'd said something along the lines of, "They make their tea real good at Madam Puddifoot's, I hear").

She tried to have her boys shield her from the rest of the crowd as the school started down the path to the small magical town, but he found her anyways.

"Rose!" he called. "Rose Weasley! Over here!"

She turned, very apprehensively, to see him bounding toward her, somehow likened to a St. Bernard dog. He might have even been drooling a bit. Rose only hoped that she wouldn't have to get close enough to find out.

Bidding her company farewell with great regret, she walked next to him on the path toward Madam Puddifoot's.

"So, you're a great Seeker," he said. His tone was very flat. Rose couldn't tell if he was asking or telling her.

She only nodded. "I suppose," she said awkwardly.

"I'm not very good?"

She was sure that was a question, but really did not know why he would have asked it. So instead, she pretended like there hadn't been that slight inflection to indicate inquisition.

_Maybe he is still having voice cracks,_ she thought with a giggle.

"What are you laughing about?" she asked. She was glad for a real question this time.

"Oh, nothing," she lied. "Just something my brother said this morning." The mention of her brother, however, made her remember the terrifying incident earlier, and sent unwanted pictures into her brain. She began to blush, and even in this snow, she wished her cheeks wouldn't burn so.

"You're in your fourth year, right?" he asked. She was about to reply, but he'd already started talking again. "I'm in my fifth. I'm sure you know that, though. But I am sixteen years old, not fifteen?"

Again, it sounded like a question, but she wasn't sure why it would be one.

"Uhh, no, I didn't know that," she agreed, thinking it a safe response. By this time they were walking in the tea shop and being beckoned to sit down, so she was saved from the conversation momentarily.

Madam Puddifoot's was an interesting place, to say the least. Aside from the overabundance of frills, laces, and hearts, it was cozy. Certainly cozy enough for almost every couple in the place to feel comfortable enough to engage in full-scale snogging sessions, which, incidentally, served to make Rose feel less comfortable than she would have otherwise.

Then Dirk grabbed her hand, which intensified the discomfort. His hand was sweaty and fat, and his fingers reminded Rose of sausages. She normally liked sausage, too, but she was afraid that she would no longer be able to eat it again after this. He started caressing her hand with his thumb, and thank goodness he did, because she was able to pretend a giggle and grab her hand away, saying that it ticked.

She kept her hands hidden the rest of the time.

It was an hour later when Rose was sure that he would let her go soon. He had talked almost the entire time about his Muggle family in Germany, and how proud of him they all were. Which, Rose found all very sweet of course, but was not all that interesting.

Then, something outside the window caught her attention.

Scorpius walked by with Bleekly and a few other Slytherins, and the gleam of the sun off of his blonde hair caught the light stunningly. The flash of light made Rose glance in that direction, and just then Scorpius glanced in hers.

Their eyes caught. For once, Rose wished that she was with Scorpius Malfoy. For, if she was with him, she would not be with this great ogre of a Hufflepuff.

For some inexplicable reason, Rose raised her hand to greet him. She had never done such a thing before, but she seemed to be going insane from her exposure to Dirk the Dim.

It was only a millisecond later that she realized she had done something stupid. However Scorpius was when they were alone in the library didn't matter. He was with his friends now, his fellow Slytherins, and there was no way he'd pass up a chance to humiliate a Weasley.

Scorpius made his way into Madam Puddifoot's, and made straight for the table Rose was sitting at.

Dirk seemed not to have noticed – he was in a very animated conversation with himself about the local traditions of his hometown in a suburb outside of Munich.

"So, Weasley," he sneered. Rose noticed that his friends were outside watching. "On a date, are you?"

Rose blushed, but didn't say anything.

"And with Dirk the Dimmer-witted-man, no less. Hello Dirk," he greeted mockingly. Rose was seething.

"Get away from us, you prat," she snarled.

"What I don't understand," Scorpius continued without acknowledging her comment, "is how you could date another boy, when you are so obviously keen on me."

Rose glared at him. "Who are you bloody kidding, Malfoy? I'm not keen on you and I never have been!"

They were causing quite the scene, and a few of the couples in the shop had even broken away from each other to watch the excitement.

"Oh, who are you kidding Weasley? You fancy me and you always have. Always will, I suppose," Scorpius said arrogantly.

Rose stood up from her place at the tea table, and subconsciously Scorpius wondered why she would be wearing such a short skirt when there was snow on the ground.

_Don't you ever cover up those thighs, woman?! _he thought urgently.

But it was too late. She had already seen his reaction.

"Oh, is that right, Malfoy? I fancy _you_, is that right? Then why, oh why, can't you take your eyes off of me?" she inquired angrily.

Scorpius gulped. "I'm just in awe of your hideousness, that's all," he retorted, although even he knew that the response was not convincing.

Rose nodded, her eyes like slits, and said, "I'll bet that's why." Then she turned to the other boy, who had been silent the whole time, and said, "Come on, Dirk, let's get out of here."

Scorpius watched as she walked away, and was absolutely sure that she was swinging her hips like that on purpose.

"I hear they're shagging," said Cosette, who had warmed up to Scorpius once again despite her sister's continued interest in James Potter, and Scorpius' indifference on the matter.

"I know, I heard that too!" Bleekly said enthusiastically. "They say she's a right maniac in bed."

Scorpius grimaced. "Come on, Bleekly, cut it out. I don't want to think about that."

Goyle frowned. "Why not?" he grunted. "She's really hot."

Cosette uttered a little scream of horror. "Goyle, don't defile the word like that," she scolded.

Scorpius glanced across the Great Hall, which was outfitted in all of its Holiday splendor at this time of year, to see Rose sitting with Dirk at the Hufflepuff table. She looked up at him as well, and he was sure he saw some sign of satisfaction in her face when she realized that he was looking at her.

"I don't think they're shagging," he said sternly.

"That's only because you fancy her and you don't want another boy to have popped her – "

"Ugh! Bleekly! Gross!" Cosette interrupted, which Scorpius was glad for. He didn't want to hear the rest of that sentence.

"Really, though, Malfoy," said Goyle, who was also staring at Rose. "You're a kinky guy, to have a crush on your own sister."

The whole table grimaced.

"She's not even really my sister," Scorpius mumbled. Then, realizing that he'd just admitted that he fancied her, growled, "And I _don't_ have a crush on her."

Rose held Dirk's hand firmly underneath the table. As disgusting as it was, she was determined to show the arrogant little Malfoy prat that she _did_ like Dirk, and prove to him that she _did not_ fancy him.

She glanced over at the Slytherin table to make sure that he was still looking, then leaned in and pecked Dirk on the cheek.

_That'll show him_, she thought triumphantly. Than she realized that she'd just kissed Dirk, and her stomach practically flipped over. _He'd better not try to snog me later on_, she thought in horror.


End file.
